Brown scoffs Levein boredom fears

Former Scotland manager Craig Brown has dismissed favoured candidate Craig Levein's concern that he might be bored in the role of national team boss.

Levein, set to be offered the job, is worried he may miss daily dealings with players at training and is thought to be seeking a wider technical remit.

But Brown told BBC Scotland: "The priority is for the national team to succeed. That is a full-time job.

"There's women's football and disabled football too. Surely that is enough."

Another former Scotland manager, Walter Smith, last week described the gaps between international fixtures and squad training camps as "a bit of a frustration".

And Levein, who will meet the Scottish Football Association in the next few days to discuss the scope of the role, has admitted that he wonders how he would fill his time if he was leading the national team six or so times a season.

At Dundee United, Levein has a deep interest in the way young footballers are coached, arranging for far more emphasis on their technical development.

It seems very likely that his discussions with the SFA would cover his sphere of influence over technical matters in that organisation too.

Brown, though, scoffed at the notion that the 45-year-old Tannadice boss would be twiddling his thumbs.

He said: "I think he is right to want to have an overall remit in charge of the football side of things. But coach education and player development are different from managing a team.

"With the number of teams that Scotland will have - Under-21, Under-19, 17, 16, ladies' teams - it is a full-time job being in charge of the national team.

"He will want to go to every youth international and his job will be to look at the progress of these young lads to see how quickly he can get them into the national team.

"It's laudable that Craig wants that extra work, but make sure the priority is the national team, qualify that team and the interest will take off in this country."

Brown acknowledged that both he and his predecessor Andy Roxburgh had held the post of technical director and national team manager at the SFA, during what can now be looked upon as a successful period in the country's football history.

However, he says times have changed.

"I was at five major tournaments in 12 years, working as technical director as well. But I think that's obsolete now, we've progressed beyond that," he said.

I'm glad they're having a Scotsman in charge and we look forward to a new regime

Former Scotland manager Criag Brown

"Berti Vogts changed it when he brought in a full-time assistant and there was a division between the technical director and the team manager's job.

"The job description has got to be clearly defined because there are very good people, Jim Fleeting and Donald Park, running the football development department.

"They don't want to have their noses out of joint. The relationship between the director of football development and the team manager has got to be good, but I don't think the manager should be impinging on their work.

"In Ireland, Giovanni Trapattoni doesn't take charge; Packy (Pat) Bonner's in charge. I think it should remain like that in Scotland."

Brown, 69, who went on to manage Preston North End on leaving his post at Hampden, is nevertheless happy that the SFA board has targeted Levein and prefers not to dwell on concerns that, if he were successful with Scotland, he would be lured away by a big-money club job.

"I'm glad they're having a Scotsman in charge and we look forward to a new regime. Craig has done exceptionally well at Dundee United and I think he will be a very popular choice.

"If he does a good job, that's the main thing, it gets us qualified again. If he does well, clubs will take him: fine, that means he has done very well as manager.

"Alex McLeish had the best record ever - he won 7 out 10 - we lost him (to Birmingham City) but he had done well for Scotland.

"He has got presence and command of the dressing room, knowledge of the game, and these attributes are very important.

"I'm sure the players would respond to him and it would appear that the fans are very enthusiastic about him."

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.